China, U.S. hold first round of maritime consultations in Beijing

China and the United States held their first round of consultations on maritime affairs on Friday in Beijing, China's foreign ministry said.

The two sides had a candid, in-depth and constructive exchange on the maritime situation, maritime security, and maritime economy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Saturday.

China expressed serious concerns on rising U.S. regional military deployment, frequent close-in reconnaissance against China and support for violations and provocations by countries in the South China Sea, the statement said.

The two sides emphasised they should strengthen dialogue and communication to avoid misunderstanding and misjudgement, it said.